Power switches in many DC/AC inverter designs are hard switched, which generates EMI noise and losses in the inverter. A low switching frequency may be used to increase the inverter efficiency, however, this imposes a compromise in the size of the inverter components.
Electricity produced by power generators such as photovoltaic (PV) installations is becoming increasingly promising as a source of renewable energy. Maximizing efficiency of such systems is critical to their widespread utility. One route to improving efficiency of such systems is through improving inverter design, and much attention has been focused on implementation of micro-inverters; that is, inverters associated with individual power generators such as individual PV panels. Conventional approaches to improving efficiency, such as use of a low switching frequency, may not be suitable for micro-inverter applications.